2011 Sonoma Vintage

The 2011 growing season in Sonoma County was cooler than normal. Those cool temperatures allowed slow, gradual flavor development and preserved natural acids in the grapes. A cool summer reduced the size of the crop and delayed the onset of harvest, which left fruit exposed to fall rains that spread rot through the vineyards. Across the county's 14 appellations, yield and harvest timing varied widely by region, variety and vineyard, and overall yield was estimated to be down about 20 percent from average.

• Cooler-than-normal season: slow, gradual flavor development and preserved natural acids
• A cool summer reduced the size of the crop and delayed the onset of harvest
• Fall rains then spread rot through the vineyards while fruit was still hanging
• Yield: estimated down about 20 percent from average, with wide variation by variety and location across the county's 14 appellations

Sonoma County Vintners headlined its December 2011 harvest report: yields below average, but quality outstanding in much of the region. Rod Berglund, winemaker at Joseph Swan Winery in the Russian River Valley, said: "It was a year I've dreamed about as a winemaker." He singled out Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel as outstanding and called the lower alcohols "icing on the cake." In the Sonoma Valley, Chateau St. Jean winemaker Margo Van Staaveren said, "This vintage will finish lighter than normal," while pointing to Merlot from the winery's Asti vineyard in Alexander Valley, concentrated mountain Cabernet Franc from Sonoma Valley and bright Pinot Gris from Sonoma Coast. Douglas McIlroy, Director of Winegrowing at Rodney Strong Vineyards, said the harvest "certainly had its ups and downs like we haven't seen in many vintages, but it has surprised us with how well the wines have turned out."

• Russian River Valley: Joseph Swan Winery's Rod Berglund called the quality outstanding, especially in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel
• Sonoma Valley: Chateau St. Jean's Margo Van Staaveren expected the vintage to finish lighter than normal
• Russian River Valley: Rodney Strong Vineyards' Douglas McIlroy said the wines had turned out surprisingly well after a harvest of ups and downs
• Dry Creek Valley: Quivira Vineyards & Winery winemaker Hugh Chappelle said, "Sommeliers should love this vintage for its alcohol and acid balance."

The county's annual crop report, covered by the Press Democrat in June 2012, showed what the cool year cost growers. The grape crop dropped 13 percent, to 166,619 tons, and the value of the grape harvest fell 11 percent, to $347 million. Wine grapes remained by far the dominant crop in Sonoma County, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the county's farm production that year.

• Grape crop: 166,619 tons, down 13 percent
• Grape harvest value: $347 million, down 11 percent
• Wine grapes: nearly 60 percent of Sonoma County farm production